More than 17 months after Hurricane Katrina forced their animal shelter into a makeshift warehouse, the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (LA/SPCA) recently opened a new, multimillion-dollar facility in New Orleans.
The August 2005 hurricane flooded and destroyed the original shelter, which was located in the city's Ninth Ward.
"We experienced devastating losses," said Laura Maloney, CEO of the LA/SPCA.
"But we never lost sight of our vision to create a better place for our animals."
The nonprofit was one of about 12 private and municipal animal shelters in the Gulf Coast region that sustained damage.
It's also one of many shelters still struggling to get back on its feet after the disaster.
(See related: Katrina's Pet Legacy: Better Evacuation Plans, Bitter Custody Lawsuits [August 21, 2006].)
A Long Road Ahead
Only a handful of organizations have rebuilt their facilities, including the Mississippi Animal Rescue League in Jackson and the Humane Society of South Mississippi in Gulfport.
"The shelters still need help," said Pam Burney, vice president of national outreach for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which is headquartered in New York City.
"But the ones that are still there [are] coming back better and stronger than before," Burney said.
Progress has been made, thanks in part to national animal welfare groups, which contributed funds to the rebuilding effort.
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